The Gift
by TrekkieQueen
Summary: While Enterprise comes to the aid of an alien civilization dying from an extremely lethal virus, Captain Archer discovers something that could change his life forever.


Disclaimer: Paramount owns Enterprise and all of the main characters therein. I just used them to write this story. All the new characters are figments of my imagination and therefore belong to me.  
  
"The Gift"  
  
  
  
Ship  
  
Enterprise NX-01  
  
  
  
Planets  
  
Earth  
  
Risa  
  
Vulcan  
  
Centrax VI  
  
Precinum III  
  
  
  
Characters - Original (Main)  
  
Captain Jonathan Archer  
  
SubCommander T'Pol  
  
Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker  
  
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed  
  
Ensign Travis Mayweather  
  
Ensign Hoshi Sato  
  
Doctor Phlox  
  
Characters - New (Main)  
  
Emmaleigh "Emma" Archer - Archer's Unknown Child  
  
Ashley Calder - Emmaleigh's Mother  
  
Thomas Calder - Ashley's Husband, Emmaleigh's Stepfather  
  
Jayden Calder - Ashley's and Thomas' son, Emmaleigh's half-brother  
  
Director Malcorge Traylik - Director of the Centraxian Center for Medicine  
  
  
  
Summary - While Enterprise comes to the aid of an alien civilization dying from an extremely lethal virus, Captain Archer discovers something that could change his life forever.  
  
  
  
"Captain's personal log - while visiting the nearby planet of Precinum III, Doctor Phlox has discovered a cure to the deadly Broxzcora Virus, a disease which has claimed the lives of nearly two-hundred thousand Centraxian citizens within the last three months. While it may take up to five days to synthesize enough antigen to fight off the disease completely, Doctor Phlox is confident that the remaining inhabitants will make a full and speedy recovery. Enterprise is currently enroute back to Centrax VI with the antigen and should arrive at Base 462 within three to four days. End log."  
  
The computer screen beeped and Captain Jonathan Archer shifted in his chair. It has been a long and grueling couple of weeks and he wasn't sure how much more he could handle. First, the Klingons attacked Enterprise, leaving several injured or maimed. Then tiny microwormholes threatened to tear the ship apart in Ferengi space. And finally, eight days ago, Enterprise came across a race that was being exterminated by an extremely lethal virus. The list never ends.  
  
"All a part of space exploration," he sighed.  
  
"Bereep," his ready room door chimed.  
  
"Come in," Archer stated loudly.  
  
In walked SubCommander T'Pol, Enterprise's resident Vulcan. At first, Archer felt nothing but anger and resentment towards the young Vulcan. He believed that all Vulcan's were the same, heartless and uncaring. He also believed that the only reason T'Pol was assigned to Enterprise in the first place was to serve as a spy for the Vulcan High Command, but all that has changed during the last year. T'Pol has not only become someone the Captain looks up to, but someone he admires.  
  
"Yes SubCommander?" the Captain asked.  
  
"I am sorry to bother you Captain, but Doctor Phlox has requested an extra hand in Sickbay if he is to synthesize enough antigen to fight off the Broxzcora Virus in time to reach Centrax VI," the Vulcan stated coolly.  
  
"All right. Assign Ensign Cuttler to the task. She's been training with him for the last few weeks now and would benefit greatly from the extra experience."  
  
"Yes, Captain."  
  
"Is there anything else?" the Captain asked.  
  
"Not at this point," T'Pol answered.  
  
"All right then. You are dismissed," Archer said getting up from his chair. He watched as T'Pol turned and left his ready room. He sat back down and switched on the computer screen.  
  
"New message from Starfleet Command," a voice stated.  
  
"Now who could that be?" Archer thought to himself.  
  
  
  
"And so I said 'strip off the warp core' and everybody in main engineering started undressing," Commander Trip Tucker laughed. He was sitting in the mess hall with Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and Ensign Travis Mayweather. They were all reminiscing about the day's events, but none were as interesting as Commander Tucker's engineering fiasco.  
  
"It was the funniest thing," Trip continued, "They all had stripped down to their underwear before I had the chance to say 'no guys, not literally.' Imagine the Captain walking in and seeing half my team working in their underwear," he laughed harder, "that would have been a sight to behold."  
  
"I have always thought of your team working in the nude," Lieutenant Reed joked.  
  
"Yeah," Ensign Mayweather started, "because we all know that Engineering is considered the 'hot' spot of the ship."  
  
They all laughed even harder, Tucker almost falling from his chair. Soon, everyone in the mess hall was staring at them. It wasn't too often that the crew got to see three grown men laughing hysterically around a table. It was a welcoming sight, however, as most of the crew hadn't experienced much joy or excitement in the last two or three weeks.  
  
"What are you laughing about?" Ensign Hoshi Sato asked as she stood in front of an empty chair.  
  
"Oh, just something that happened in Engineering today," Mayweather answered.  
  
"May I join you?" Hoshi asked already taking a seat.  
  
"Sure," Tucker said still giggling.  
  
Everything started to settle down soon after Hoshi took her seat. She poked around at her food. It was supposed to be macaroni and beef, but lacked one of the main ingredients - beef. Maybe the chef forgot to add it in. Hoshi took a daring bite. "Not bad," she thought.  
  
"So, did anything interesting happen on the bridge this afternoon?" Lieutenant Reed asked Hoshi.  
  
Hoshi looked up from her food. "No, not really. Wait," a pause, "did you hear that Ensign Buckinghamm may be pregnant?"  
  
"Senora? You're kidding me," Travis said in misbelief.  
  
"No, I'm serious. I heard it over the conn," Hoshi said reassuringly.  
  
"Who's the father?" Tucker asked.  
  
"I didn't quite hear that part, but I think she said," another pause, "Lieutenant --," A voice rang thoughout the mess hall.  
  
It was Captain Archer. "All senior officers report to my ready room."  
  
Without another thought, Tucker, Mayweather, Reed, and Hoshi got up from their seats and headed towards the turbolift. They were greeted by Doctor Phlox. "Do you all know what this is about?" he asked somewhat annoyed.  
  
"We haven't the slightest clue," Reed answered.  
  
  
  
"Another virus?" T'Pol asked the Captain calmly. All the senior officers were seated around a large, oval table in the Captain's conference room. They all looked at the Captain with disbelief.  
  
"Yes," the captain started, "Starfleet Command has received a distress call from Centrax VI. They claim that a new strand of the Broxzcora Virus has recently surfaced on the planet."  
  
Lieutenant Reed interrupted him. "A new strand? But it's only been a week since we left. How can a new strand develop in that short of time? It's not possible."  
  
"Actually Lieutenant, it's quite possible," Doctor Phlox started, "virus' mutate constantly, it's only a matter of time before those mutations come into effect."  
  
"Thank you Doctor," Archer went on, "but Starfleet, as well as the Vulcan High Command, have reason to believe that this new virus was artificially produced and intentionally released among the inhabitants. They have ordered Enterprise to pay a visit to a scientist by the name of Doctor Thomas Calder."  
  
  
  
"Daddy?" Seven year old Jayden Calder called out questioningly. "Daddy? Are you here?"  
  
Doctor Thomas Calder was working in his laboratory on the northernmost continent of Centrax VI. He was dressed in a torn white lab coat and shaggy beard, but looked much older than a man of just forty-eight years old. He was concentrating heavily on his work and didn't appreciate being interrupted.  
  
Jayden walked around a corner and saw his father "There you are daddy," the boy started, "Mom --."  
  
"What did I tell you boy?" Calder snapped at the boy.  
  
Jayden immediately looked down towards the floor, not answering.  
  
"Answer me," his father demanded.  
  
"You said not to bother you when you are working," the boy whispered softly.  
  
"That's right. So why are you bothering me?"  
  
"Mom told him to tell you that it was time for dinner," a voice answered.  
  
Calder looked above Jayden's head and saw a blond-haired girl standing in the doorway. She wasn't more than twelve years old, but had the intelligence and determination of a grown woman. "As well as stubbornness," Calder thought.  
  
Jayden looked back at his sister Emma. Even though they were only half- siblings, Emmaleigh Archer was always there for him when he needed her. She looked out and cared for him. Most importantly though, she protected him.  
  
"Fine," Calder mumbled, "I'll be there in a minute. Go help your mother."  
  
"Yes sir," the boy answered as he ran towards his sister.  
  
Emma reached out her hand and Jayden took it. Together, they walked back into the house.  
  
  
  
"Captain, we're receiving a hail from the surface," Ensign Sato reported on the bridge. Enterprise had just entered orbit around Centrax VI and was already receiving hails.  
  
"On screen," Archer ordered.  
  
A humanoid figure started to emerge on the main view screen. It was of a Centraxian male. His features seemed to be a mix of both Vulcan and Klingon, with a touch of Ferengi. He had semi-pointed ears with a partially indentured forehead running all the way down to the bottom of his chin. His shoulders were broad and his eyes were slanted. "Captain Archer?" the alien asked.  
  
"I'm Captain Archer," the captain confirmed, "How may I help you?"  
  
"I'm Malcorge Traylik, director of the Centraxian Center for Medicine," the alien began, "My team and I have been monitoring the recent outbreak of the new strand of Broxzcora Virus and believe that it is centralized around the continent of Brotoura."  
  
"Have you figured out where the strand was produced?"  
  
"Not yet," Traylik hesitated, "That's where you come in. We believe that Doctor Thomas Calder has something to do with the virus' production, but he won't let us go near him. Since you yourself are human, we figured it would be easier if you tried. So, what do you say Captain?"  
  
Archer glanced towards T'Pol.  
  
"Captain, there is no time," the alien urged.  
  
T'Pol looked briefly at Director Traylik and then back to the captain. She nodded her head slowly.  
  
"All right," Archer said at last, "What do you want us to do?"  
  
  
  
"New message, new message, new message," Calder heard as he opened the door to his house. He walked in and towards his computer terminal, followed my Emma and Jayden. He pushed the blue message button and a voice began to ring throughout the house.  
  
"Is that mamma?" Jayden asked.  
  
"No," his father answered.  
  
"Doctor Calder," the voice began, "this is Dormice. I have what you requested. Please call me back." Calder flipped off the computer screen and turned towards the children. "Emma, Jayden, go to your rooms please."  
  
"Why?" Jayden whined.  
  
"Do you want a slap across the mouth?" Calder threatened.  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Then I suggest you do as I say."  
  
"But I need to feed Chamois" the boy continued to whine, talking about his pet dogat.  
  
"Jayden, don't worry about it. You can feed him later. Just do what he asks," Emma said tugging on his arm.  
  
Calder reached back and slapped Jayden square across the mouth. "Do as I say!" he yelled.  
  
Jayden quickly reached up to where he was hit and started crying. Emma continued pulling on his arm. "Come on Jayden," she urged.  
  
Calder pulled his hand back once more. This time Jayden hurriedly ran up the stairs with his sister. They both went into Emma's room and shut the door.  
  
Calder switched back on the computer terminal and pushed a few buttons. Within a few seconds, a Centraxian male emerged on the screen.  
  
"You have what I requested?" the doctor asked.  
  
"Yes I do," Dormice responded.  
  
"Good. I will be there first thing in the morning to pick it up. Is it in a secure location?"  
  
"Yes, but you better hurry. The Centraxian government is becoming very suspicious of our transactions. It's only a matter of time before we are discovered."  
  
"No need to worry about it now. It'll all be over soon. Calder out." He ended transmission and started heading up the stairs. "Bereep," the computer screen beeped again. "Now what?" the doctor thought to himself heading back down the stairs.  
  
He pushed the green transmission button and another figure started to appear. Calder couldn't believe his eyes. Was that figure of another human? It couldn't be. He hasn't seen another human on Centrax for at least seven years. "May I help you?" the doctor asked perplexed. At that same moment, his wife, Ashley, was walking in the door.  
  
"I think so," the human answered. "Are you Doctor Thomas Calder?"  
  
"Yes," Calder responded. Ashley walked up beside him.  
  
"I'm Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. I was told on good authority that you would know where to find some dilithium ore to fuel our engines."  
  
Ashley blinked. "Did he say Jonathan Archer?" she thought to herself. "It can't be."  
  
"I don't know," Calder hesitated.  
  
"Of course, I would compensate you for your time," Archer counteracted. "Let's say with Radium."  
  
"Why yes Captain, I do believe I can help you. Why don't you come down here within the hour and we'll talk business."  
  
"Thank you. I'll see you then." Calder ended transmission and looks toward his wife. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
  
  
Archer ended transmission and glanced towards T'Pol. "So far so good," he said aloud.  
  
"Yes Captain. Let's just hope he stays unaware of our true intentions," the Vulcan stated coolly.  
  
  
  
Watch for more updates coming soon!! Submit a review and tell me what you think so far! Thanks for reading! 


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